NCAAB News and Notes
Sunday, January 3
Information on the best of Sunday's college hoop games........
Wisconsin beat Penn State twice LY, 65-61/54-44; Badgers won five in a row (4-1 vs spread), but they've lost their only road game, 88-84 in OT at Milwaukee. Penn State is 3-0 vs spread as an underdog this season.
DePaul (+16.5) lost 48-40 at Georgetown LY; Blue Demons lost five of last seven games, losing by 13 at Pitt in Big East opener. Georgetown is 10-1; they have double-revenge games at Marquette Wednesday. Hoyas are 4-3 as a favorite. DePaul is 3-2 vs spread as an underdog this year.
Northern Iowa swept Missouri State LY, 78-64/78-69, holding Bears to 39% from floor in both games; UNI shot 70.5% from floor in game here LY. Panthers won last nine games, taking first two Valley games by 19-8 points. Bears are 12-1, losing by 4 in OT at Arkansas; they won first two MVC games by 14-4 points.
Bradley beat Wichita State twice LY, 60-58/65-50; they're 5-6, 2-2 on road, losing by 10 at BYU, 22 at Iowa State- they've won at Drake and Northern Illinois. Shockers won 10 of their laat 11 games, winning by 23 in Valley home opener. Wichita is 2-1-1 vs spread as a favorite.
Creighton swept Evansville LY, 79-57/89-84; Bluejays started 0-2 in the MVC this year, losing 60-52 to No Iowa, 70-64 at Indiana State- they're 0-4 on road, losing by 10-3-5-6 points. Evansville lost its last three in a row, dropping first two MVC games, by 14-19 points.
Texas Tech (+2) lost 96-78 at UTEP LY; Red Raiders beat McNeese St by just one point Friday- they split last four games after their 8-0 start. Tech is 3-1 as a favorite this year. Miners are 8-2, winning 79-58 in only road game, at New Mexico State. C-USA road underdogs are 15-14.
Florida (-11) beat NC State 68-66 after trailing by 10 at the half; they're 10-3 this year, 2-3 in last five, winning by 18 at Jacksonville in its only true road game. Wolfpack won five of their last six games. ACC home teams are 21-24 vs spread in non-conference games.
Ohio State swept Michigan LY, 65-58/54-42, holding Wolverines under 36% from floor in both games; Buckeyes are 0-2 on road, losing 65-43 at Wisconsin in Big 11 opener, 74-66 at Butler. Michigan is just 2-3 in last five games after getting upset at undermanned Indiana in Big 11 opener.
Providence (-8.5) hammered St John's 75-54 LY, but Friars are just 5-5 in last ten games, losing by 13 at Notre Dame in Big East opener- they are 2-3 on road, losing by 9 at Alabama, 4 at URI, 13 at Notre Dame. St John's is improved at 10-3, but they lost at Georgetown by 7 in opener of Big East season- they're 1-5 vs spread as a favorite this season.
Wake Forest won its last six games; they're 3-4 against spread as a fave. ACC home favorites are 21-23 vs spread in non-conference tilts. Xavier split last eight games after 4-0 start; they're 0-2 on road, losing by point at Butler, by 15 at Kansas State. A-14 road dogs are 18-29 vs spread.
Home side won both Indiana State-Drake games LY, then the Sycamores upset Drake 62-55 (+3) in MVC tournament. State is 3-1 vs spread on the road, winning at Arkansas State, Toledo, losing by 11 at LSU, by 18 at Southern Illinois. Drake lost its last five games, losing by 8-23 points in its first two conference games.
Clemson (+4) hammered Duke 74-47 LY, holding Blue Devils to 30.8% from floor; Tigers are 12-2, losing by 9 to Texas A&M, by 2 to Illinois when they led by 25 in the second half. Duke is 11-1, winning last four games by ridiculous margins (beat Gonzaga by 35, Penn by 59).
Illinois State beat Southern Illinois twice LY, 70-63/60-57ot; Redbirds are 10-3, 2-5 vs spread as favorite- they won first MVC game by 15 vs Wichita State. Southern Illinois won its last two games, taking first two in Valley play by 18-5 points- they made 10-21 from arc in 86-81 win at Bradley Friday night.